Community Research and Development is a knowledge discovery process for identifying and exploring needs and desires. As a central part of the Inovo Innovation System, Community R&D builds a knowledge community through agressive outreach, elicitation of knowledge and experience and discovery of needs and desires. The tools to accomplish this are:

• Context Selection Tool - A tool to select where to begin. Defining the 'exploration' space and identifying the focus and boundaries for opportunity discovery efforts
  
• Knowledge-Community Exploration Tool - A tool that uses social networks and 'small world' methods to identify rich veins of knowledge and experience. This includes spanning hidden social networks by contacting the connectors, the weak links, and other high-value individuals
  
• Technology Mapping Tool - A tool to find 'what is possible' by deconstructing a technology into its essential effects and constraints. Useful for identifying and engaging with knowledge experts as well as direct customers